Kerala: Dalit M Phil scholar beaten up by SFI activists at MG Varsity

A Dalit M Phil scholar was allegedly attacked by the Students Federation of India (SFI) activists at Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam, Kerala.

A Dalit M Phil scholar was allegedly attacked by the Students Federation of India (SFI) activists at Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam, Kerala.

Vivek Kumaran, an M Phil student in Gandhian Studies from Kalady, was admitted to the Government Medical College (GMC) hospital after being beaten up allegedly by a group of SFI activists on MG University campus.

Vivek has said that he was targeted for sympathising with the thoughts of Ambedkar. According to Vivek, he was beaten up by SFI activists on Tuesday night, a day after he delivered a talk on the ‘Politics of queer communities’, at a programme held on the campus.

“They attacked me alleging that I was trying to turn the students against SFI. They even warned me of dire consequences claiming that none will ask if I was killed. Though, I don’t smoke, they said I was distributing ganja to the students. They also called me by my caste name,” he said.

The SFI president Jaick C Thomas has refuted all allegation and claimed that the activists had only questioned Vivek for distributing ganja on the campus.

“The University Students’ Union and the SFI had received several complaints against Vivek, alleging that he was distributing ganja among students. As a functionary of the University Union, Shyamlal and SFI activists went to his room and spoke to him. Though, it led to a clash, Vivek was not beaten up,” Thomas said.